mpire, that they will not in
this generation bring with them the most powerful and wealthy, if not
the most numerous, party in their country. Complete control of Irish
affairs is a possibility, and I suggest to the extremists that the
status of a self-governing dominion inside a federation of dominions
is a proposal which, if other safeguards for minority interests are
incorporated, would attract Unionist attention. But if these men who
depend so much in their economic enterprises upon a friendly relation
with their largest customers are to be allured into self-governing
Ireland there must be acceptance of the Empire as an essential
condition. The Boers found it not impossible to accept this status for
the sake of a United South Africa. Are our Irish Boers not prepared
to make a compromise and abide by it loyally for the sake of a United
Ireland?

10. A remonstrance must also be addressed to the middle party in that
it has made no real effort to understand and conciliate the feelings of
Irish Unionists. They have indeed made promises, no doubt sincerely, but
they have undone the effect of all they said by encouraging of recent
years the growth of sectarian organizations with political aims and have
relied on these as on a party machine. It may be said that in Ulster
a similar organization, sectarian with political objects, has long
existed, and that this justified a counter organization. Both in
my opinion are unjustifiable and evil, but the backing of such an
organization was specially foolish in the case of the majority, whose
main object ought to be to allure the minority into the same political
fold. The baser elements in society, the intriguers, the job seekers,
and all who would acquire by influence what they cannot attain by merit,
flock into such bodies, and create a sinister impression as to their
objects and deliberations. If we are to have national concord among
Irishmen religion must be left to the Churches whose duty it is to
promote it, and be dissevered from party politics, and it should
be regarded as contrary to national idealism to organize men of one
religion into secret societies with political or economic aims. So shall
be left to Caesar the realm which is Caesar's, and it shall not appear
part of the politics of eternity that Michael's sister's son obtains a
particular post beginning at thirty shillings a week. I am not certain
that it should not be an essential condition of any Irish settlement
t